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Hero Grandpa Killed Protecting His Grandkids From Thugs

Can we talk about how hard it is to feel safe in America anymore? We have lunatics shooting up movie theaters. We have crazy people shooting up temples. And now we have a Detroit area grandpa who was shot dead at his own house because he came to the aid of his grandchildren.

From the way the cops tell it, John Villneff was
minding his own business when several of his grandchildren came rushing
over from his daughter's house next door. Now he's dead because he took
the bullets aimed at his 12-year-old granddaughter.

Should have being the operative words. But we can't feel safe anywhere anymore, it seems.

When the thugs started pistol-whipping the 16-year-old, three of the
kids took off for Grandpa's house next door. The 12-year-old took an
iPad with her and was trying to take photos of the assailants when one
of them spotted her. That's when police say the shooting happened -- the
thug aimed, and grandpa jumped in to save his little girl.

I'm not surprised Villneff was a recipient of the Purple Heart while
he was in the US military, he proved himself a hero on Wednesday night.
He took a bullet for that kid. Took a bullet.

And yet, I shouldn't have to say that none of this never should have
happened, that no one should have broken into Melissa Villneff's house,
no one should have aimed a gun at a 12-year-old, no one should have shot
an innocent grandfather who had been minding his own business at his
home on a Wednesday night.

We hear people say that they're afraid to leave home anymore with all
the craziness that goes on, but with stories like this, even staying at
home doesn't sound safe.

How do you keep from being overwhelmed by all these horrific news stories?

Bless that man... best wishes to the family and so sorry for their loss. I hope they can feel safe again soon... I really am at a loss for words.

To answer the question of how I deal with them, or keep from being overwhelmed... I hardly ever watch the news. I hear about stuff of course, but it's never quite as shocking as I don't constantly hear about it or look for it online.

WOW!! I cannot imagine how scared those poor kids must have been!! What an amazing and loving grandpa to take a bullet for his granddaughter! I have tears in my eyes--literally!

To answer your question OP, I rarely ever watch the news on TV. It is too depressing. Thankfully, I live on a very out-of-the-way dead-end street. It also helps that we live less than a mile from the State Patrol office! Anything happens, a State Trooper is at our door within 3 minutes! We also have wonderful neighbors and we watch out for one another. A couple of years ago, we had a drug house a few doors down from us! the day the police did their drug raid, I was driving home, and a cop car was following me! I pulled over infront of my house and stopped. He got out of his car, gun in hand, and ran past my car. Then an unmarked white van with a TON of FBI Agents got out of the van in full bullet-proof vests and all and they ran up to the house, some of the guys ran to the back of the house and everything! It looked like a scene out of COPS! The front door was unlocked, and they rushed in. They were in there for like 20 minutes. Then they started bringing the guys out and more police cars showed up. They started hauling the guys away in separate cars. The house hasn't been a drug house since!

I'm sorry for the family of this man. This is one of those reasons I have against owning guns. Those who shot this man had to have gotten their guns from somewhere, most of the time they steal them. They will burglarize a home and discover guns. Sadly it will probably come out that the gun that killed this man was stolen from the home of a law abiding citizen...

How do I not be so affected. I check the news once a day. That's it. I don't need to subject myself to the constant barrage of the same shit over and over.

I'm a little confused here. Even if owning guns was outlawed, OUTLAWS would still have them. They are outlaws cause they don't follow the law, right? They would get them from somewhere.

Quoting CoeyG:

I'm sorry for the family of this man. This is one of those reasons I have against owning guns. Those who shot this man had to have gotten their guns from somewhere, most of the time they steal them. They will burglarize a home and discover guns. Sadly it will probably come out that the gun that killed this man was stolen from the home of a law abiding citizen...

How do I not be so affected. I check the news once a day. That's it. I don't need to subject myself to the constant barrage of the same shit over and over.

I'm a little confused here. Even if owning guns was outlawed, OUTLAWS would still have them. They are outlaws cause they don't follow the law, right? They would get them from somewhere.

Quoting CoeyG:

I'm sorry for the family of this man. This is one of those reasons I have against owning guns. Those who shot this man had to have gotten their guns from somewhere, most of the time they steal them. They will burglarize a home and discover guns. Sadly it will probably come out that the gun that killed this man was stolen from the home of a law abiding citizen...

How do I not be so affected. I check the news once a day. That's it. I don't need to subject myself to the constant barrage of the same shit over and over.

Do you know where the kids from Columbine got their guns? They broke into one of the boy's grandfathers, broke into his gun cabinet and stole the guns. Had gradpa at least not let the kids know he had guns they wouldn't have been able to get them from him would they? The way most "outlaws" get guns is by stealing them from "honest" people. If "honest" people didn't have guns there would be none to be stolen. How do you explain the fact that here in the U.S. guns are allowed in homes and we have a higher crime rate especially in crimes with weapons that in Europe and Asia where guns in homes are not legal. Here are some "nice" instances of a gun in the home

-On July 19, a 4-year-old shot himself to death after finding a loaded gun at a friend's home during a birthday party.

- A 3-year-old Southeast Washington boy shot himself in the foot and grazed his hand while playing with his father's gun -- which he found lying on the floor.

- A 2-year-old Tampa boy shot himself in the chest with a loaded 9 mm he found in his parent's couch while playing.

- Last February, a 13-year-old boy shot himself with a semiautomatic handgun in the home of his guardian, a Mayland police officer.

- The 10-year-old son of a New York City police officer died after shooting himself in the face with his father's loaded revolver. The boy found the weapon on a shelf in the basement while looking for a ball his mom had hidden.

As many as 75-80% of 1st and 2nd graders know where their parents keep their gun(s) Some 3 year olds are strong enough to pull a gun's trigger.

As many as 75 percent to 80 percent of first and second graders know where their parents' gun is kept.

Sadly, guns are not the only way to kill a person. Even if guns were somehow magically banned think of the millions of other ways to harm or kill others: poison, bombs made with easily acquired household items, etc....People would find other methods.

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